Occurrence of Corynespora cassiicola isolates resistant to boscalid on cucumber in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan

A total of 651 isolates of cucumber corynespora leaf spot fungus ( Corynespora cassiicola ) collected from cucumber in Japan, either with (438 isolates) or without (213 isolates) a prior history of boscalid use, were tested for their sensitivity to boscalid by using a mycelial growth inhibition method on YBA agar medium. Additionally, seven isolates of C. cassiicola obtained from tomato, soybean, eggplant (aubergine) and cowpea in different locations in Japan were tested before boscalid registration. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and 50% effective concentration (EC₅₀) values for 220 isolates from crops without a prior history of boscalid use ranged from 0·5 to 7·5 μg mL⁻¹ and from 0·04 to 0·59 μg mL⁻¹, respectively. Two hundred and fourteen out of 438 isolates collected from ten cucumber greenhouses in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, which received boscalid spray applications showed boscalid resistance, with MIC values higher than 30 μg mL⁻¹. Moreover, resistant isolates were divided into two groups: a moderately resistant (MR) group consisting of 189 isolates with EC₅₀ values ranging from 1·1 to 6·3 μg mL⁻¹, and a very highly resistant (VHR) group consisting of 25 isolates with EC₅₀ values higher than 24·8 μg mL⁻¹. MR isolates were detected from all ten greenhouses, but VHR isolates were detected from only three. As a result of fungus inoculation tests which used potted cucumber plants, control failures of boscalid were observed against resistant isolates. Efficacy of boscalid was remarkably low against VHR isolates in particular. This is the first known report on boscalid resistance in Japan.     

A new selective medium for Burkholderia caryophylli, the causal agent of carnation bacterial wilt

A new selective medium (APCA medium) was developed for the isolation of Burkholderia caryophylli , the causal agent of carnation bacterial wilt, from both plants and soil. The optimal concentration and combination of antibiotics was investigated to determine the most selective condition for growing B .  caryophylli . The resultant composition of the medium per litre was: 0·79 g (NH₄)₂SO₄, 1·0 g KH₂PO₄, 0·5 g MgSO₄ · 7H₂O, 0·2 g KCl, 2·0 g D-arabinose, 5 mg crystal violet, 50 mg cycloheximide, 50 mg polymyxin B sulphate, 50 mg ampicillin sodium, 10 mg chloramphenicol, 25 mg blue tetrazolium, and 15 g agar. Plating efficiency ranged from 119 to 174% with an average of 141% compared to that of nutrient agar. The bacterium was successfully isolated from contaminated soil and plant tissues with this medium. Moreover, the medium almost completely inhibited the growth of other plant pathogenic bacteria and soil saprophytes. This selectivity was high enough to detect B . caryophylli in contaminated soil.     

The role of phytoalexins in resistance to fusarium wilt in pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan)

Mechanisms of resistance to fusarium wilt (Fusarium udum) were investigated in pigeon pea cultivars from Malawi. Wilt-susceptible (Malawi local) and wilt resistant (ICP 9145) plants were stem-inoculated with a spore suspension containing 2·10⁶ conidia/ml of the pathogen. Occlusion of a small proportion of infected vessels was observed, but the resistant reaction appeared to depend mainly on rapid phytoalexin synthesis. Four fungitoxic isoflavonoid phytoalexins—hydroxygenistein, genistein, cajanin and cajanol-were isolated from plants 15 days after inoculation. Cajanol was identified as the main antifungal compound. The concentration of cajanol was 329·4 μg/g in the resistant cultivar as against 88·6 μg/g in the susceptible cultivar 15 days after inoculation. Crude extract from the resistant plants sampled at 24 h after inoculation contained 34·8 μg ml of cajanol. The LD₅₀ value of cajanol for spore germination was determined as 35μg/ml. The cajanol content of fungus-infected ICP 9145 10 days after inoculation totally inhibited conidial germination of F. udum.     

Effect of water potential on mycelial growth and perithecial production of Monosporascus cannonballus in vitro

The effects of osmotic water potential (Ψ_s) on mycelial growth and perithecial production of Monosporascus cannonballus , the cause of root rot and vine decline of melons, were examined at 25°C on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with KCl, NaCl or sucrose. Patterns of the growth responses of four isolates to decreasing Ψ_s were similar for each of the osmotica. Compared with growth on nonamended PDA (−0·3 MPa), growth of all isolates increased as Ψ_s was reduced to −0·8 MPa. Maximum growth occurred at Ψ_s values of −0·6 to −0·8 MPa. Growth was not reduced below that on nonamended PDA until Ψ_s was reduced to −1·8 MPa, and a 50% reduction in growth did not occur until Ψ_s was reduced to < −2·5 MPa. Reproduction was much more sensitive to reduced Ψ_s than was mycelial growth, and perithecia were produced only at Ψ_s ≥ −0·7 or −0·8 MPa on PDA amended with KCl or NaCl, respectively. Three isolates produced perithecia on PDA amended with sucrose only at Ψ_s ≥ −0·6 MPa, but the fourth isolate produced perithecia at ≥ −1·9 MPa. Colonization of the xylem early in disease development may provide an essential source of water for subsequent reproduction in the root cortex during plant senescence. Postharvest cultivation to expose and desiccate roots may prevent reproduction even when temperatures lethal to hyphae are not attained.     

Sensitivity of South African Ramulispora herpotrichoides isolates to carbendazim and ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors

In a survey conducted during 1991–1992, single-spored isolates of the eyespot fungus from the Swartland area were characterized and tested for sensitivity to carbendazim and ergosterol inhibiting fungicides. The 100 isolates tested were all fast growing, even marginate, and designated as Ramulispora herpotrichoides . Fungal growth was completely inhibit on PDA amended with carbendazim (1 μg/ml), indicating that the local population of the fungus is still at baseline sensitivity to benzimidazoles. The mean concentration of prochloraz calculated to inhibited growth by 50% (IC₅₀ value) was 0.043 ± 0.029 μg/ml, which is comparable with the baseline sensitivity reported for European isolates. Of the 36 representative isolates screened against 2 μg/ml triadimenol, 44% were sensitive, while 36% were resistant. The triadimenol-resistant isolates were sensitive to propiconazole and flusilazole. However, four of the triadimenol-resistant isolates were also resistant to tebuconazole. These results indicate that South African isolates of R. herpotrichoides are sensitive towards carbendazim, prochloraz, propiconazole and flusilazole. They were found to differ, however, in sensitivity towards triadimenol and tebuconazole, where some isolates had an IC₅₀ value greater than 2 μg/ml.     

Sensitivity of Sclerotinia homoeocarpa to demethylation-inhibiting fungicides in Ontario, Canada, after a decade of use

In late 2003, nine populations of Sclerotinia homoeocarpa in Ontario Canada (seven of which had been previously sampled in early 1994, prior to the registration of sterol demethylation-inhibiting (DMI) fungicides for turf disease control in Canada) were sampled and tested for sensitivity to propiconazole. Four of the nine populations had not been treated with DMI fungicides during the intervening years, and isolates from these locations were sensitive to propiconazole (geometric mean EC₅₀ values of 0·005–0·012 µ g mL⁻¹, compared with 0·005–0·008 µ g mL⁻¹ for the original 1994 populations). Among the five populations from 2003 that had been exposed to DMI fungicides, mean EC₅₀ values were significantly greater, ranging from 0·020 to 0·048 µ g mL⁻¹. A significant correlation of determination was found between estimated number of fungicide applications and log EC₅₀ ( R ² = 0·832, P  = 0·0001), and the equation predicted that 42·3 applications of propiconazole would be needed to bring a sensitive population (EC₅₀ < 0·01  µ g mL⁻¹) to a resistant level (EC₅₀ > 0·10  µ g mL⁻¹). Fungicide sensitivity vs. duration of fungicide efficacy was also tested, and it was found that isolates with decreased sensitivity were able to more quickly overcome the inhibitory effects of fungicide application, reducing the duration of control from 3 weeks to 2 weeks.     

The influence of the herbicide mefenacet on cell division and cell enlargement in plants

The herbicide mefenacet has recently been developed for pre–emergence control of graminaceous and some dicotyledonous weeds in rice. Whereas mefenacet is known to inhibit root growth, its effect on the components of growth, cell division and cell enlargement, have not been determined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of mefenacet on growth, cell enlargement and cell division in Chlamydomonas (a green alga) and oats. Cell division in Chlamydomonas was completely inhibited and cell enlargement was inhibited by an average of 18% during the first cell cycle period when cells were treated with 6–7 μM mefenacet. The rate of oat root growth in sand culture between 12 and 24 h after initiation of treatment was reduced 90% at 10 μM mefenacet. Cell enlargement of oat coleoptile sections in culture solution was inhibited 25% at 10 μM. Mefenacet inhibited mitotic entry rather than disrupted the mitotic sequence. Cell division in oat roots was inhibited 54% by 10 μM mefenacet. This shows cell division inhibition occurs in G₁, S, or G₂ of the cell cycle. The action of mefenacet is most like that of the chloroacetamides among the herbicide classes known to inhibit growth.     

A RAPID BIOASSAY FOR SIMULTANEOUS IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTITATJON OF PICLORAM IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION

Summary. When seeds of lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.) were placed on small squares of filter paper moistened with solutions of picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid), the degree of inhibition on of root and hypocotyl elongation 72 hr later was related to picloram concentration. Inhibition was a useful parameter in determining quantities of picloram ranging from 0·03 to 7·2 μg. (Growth stimulation occurred from 0·00072 to 0·0072 μg. After paper chromatography of plant exudates containing ¹⁴C-labelled picloram, location and quantities of picloram on the chromatograms were determined by the lettuce bioassay and compared with determinations by the methods of ultraviolet light sensitivity, ¹⁴C 4π strip scanning and 14 C dilution calculations. R_f values determined lay all methods were identical, and the quantitative determination by the bioassay agreed closely with the calculations based on the amount of ¹⁴C detected by liquid scintillation counting.
Un essai biologique rapide d'idntification et de dosage de piclorame en solution aqueuse     

A qualitative quick-test for detection of herbicide resistance to tribenuron-methyl in Papaver rhoeas

A qualitative seed-based method useful for the detection of resistance to the herbicide tribenuron-methyl in Papaver rhoeas L. is described. Seeds were germinated on 35 mL of a 1.3% agar medium containing 2 g KNO₃ L^–1 in 8.5 cm Petri dishes in a growth chamber under 20 μmol s^–1 m^–2 of fluorescent light. When 0.24 μM tribenuron-methyl or more was added, growth in susceptible plants stopped after the cotyledon stage and they turned chlorotic. The resistant plants continued developing new leaves. The same effect was achieved when 0.2 g gibberellin (GA₃) L^–1 and 7.68 μM tribenuron-methyl or 0.5 g GA₃ L^–1 and 61.44 μM tribenuron-methyl were added. Germination percentage rose with gibberellin in the presence or absence of the herbicide. Plants developed rapidly, with only about 14 d needed to finish the test but sometimes root growth was reduced because of the addition of gibberellin. In the absence of gibberellin but in the presence of the herbicide, plants grew more slowly and developed smaller leaves with a 17-d evaluation period requirement. The test was validated with pot experiments in a greenhouse and also with field trials. The best combination was found to be 0.2 g GA₃ L^–1 and 7.68 μM tribenuron-methyl, assuring homogenous germination and testing of dormant seeds but avoiding root inhibition associated with too much gibberellin.     

Control of Penicillium expansum by plant volatile compounds

Nine plant volatiles were tested for their activity in vitro and in vivo against Penicillium expansum , the cause of blue mould of pear. In vitro spore germination and mycelial growth assay showed a consistent fungicidal activity by trans -2-hexenal, carvacrol, trans -cinnamaldehyde and citral, while hexanal (-)- carvone, p -anisaldehyde, eugenol and 2-nonanone exhibited a progressively lower inhibition. trans -2-Hexenal was the best inhibitor of conidial germination [MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) = 24·6  µ L L⁻¹; ED₅₀ = 10·2  µ L L⁻¹], while carvacrol was the best inhibitor of mycelial growth (MIC = 24·6  µ L L⁻¹; ED₅₀ = 9  µ L L⁻¹). The four most active compounds in in vitro studies were tested in vivo as fumigants against blue mould on pear cv. Conference. Best control was achieved by trans -2-hexenal vapour treatments (12·5  µ L L⁻¹) when applied over a 24-h period, beginning 24 h after inoculation. In contrast, carvacrol (12·5–200  µ L L⁻¹), and trans -cinnamaldehyde (50–400  µ L L⁻¹) were ineffective and citral (200  µ L L⁻¹) showed only slight effect.     

Dicarboximide resistance in Botrytis cinerea in protected lettuce

In surveys of protected lettuce crops in the Humberside area of the UK during 1984-5, 47.3% of Botrytis cinerea isolates were resistant to dicarboximides and 25% to benomyl. Dicarboximide-resistant isolates obtained direct from the field had a moderate degree of resistance with ED₅₀ values for mycelial growth on agar of 1.0-2.4 μg/ml vinclozolin for all except two of 30 isolates.
Isolates which were resistant to vinclozolin were also resistant to iprodione, myclozolin and procymidone. Thirty dicarboximide-resistant isolates obtained direct from the field were capable of infecting cucumber cotyledons sprayed with field-strength Ronilan (250 μg/ml vinclozolin) whereas sensitive strains were not. Strains showing different degrees of resistance to dicarboximides developed after incubation of sensitive and resistant strains on agar supplemented with vinclozolin. Some of these strains had ED₅₀ values for mycelial growth on agar of more than 100 μg/ml vinclozolin. No highly resistant isolates were obtained direct from the field. Resistance to dicarboximides in field isolates was stable.     

Reduced sensitivity of Cercospora beticola isolates to sterol-demethylation-inhibiting fungicides

In a survey conducted during October 1995, single-lesion isolates of the sugar beet leaf-spot fungus, Cercospora beticola , were tested for sensitivity to the sterol demethylation inhibiting fungicides (DMIs) flutriafol and bitertanol. The isolates were collected from fields in three different areas of northern Greece. Fields at Serres and Imathia had been sprayed with DMIs for about 15 years to control sugar beet leaf-spot. At the third site, Amyndeon, DMI fungicides had not been used. From each area 150 isolates were tested. ED₅₀ values were calculated for individual isolates by regressing the relative inhibition of colony growth against the natural logarithm of the fungicide concentration. The mean ED₅₀ values for flutriafol for the Serres, Imathia and Amyndeon populations were 1·07, 0·73 and 0·5 µg mL⁻¹, respectively (significantly different at P  = 0·05). For bitertanol the mean ED₅₀ values for the Serres and Imathia populations were 0·72 and 0·81 µg mL⁻¹, respectively, which were not significantly different at P  = 0·05. The mean ED₅₀ value of the Amyndeon population was 0·48 µg mL⁻¹, which was significantly lower than those of the other two populations ( P  < 0·05). A cross-resistance relationship was found to exist between the two triazole fungicides tested when log transformed ED₅₀ values of 60 isolates were subjected to a linear regression analysis ( r  = 0·81).     

Effects of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium nutrition on strawberry anthracnose

The effects of a range of concentrations of four nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium – in fertilizer solutions on the severity of anthracnose on strawberry cv. Nyoho cultivated under a noncirculation hydroponics system were determined after inoculation with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides . Crop growth and tissue nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium contents of the entire above-ground parts of the plant were also investigated. Elevated nitrogen and potassium concentrations in the fertilizer solution increased disease severity in contrast to phosphorus and calcium. Treatment with either NH₄ or NO₃ nitrogen was not significantly different. The dry weight of the strawberry plants increased significantly with elevated concentrations of nitrogen ( R ² = 0·9078) and phosphorus ( R ² = 0·8842), but was not influenced by the elevated amounts of potassium ( R ² = 0·8587) and calcium ( R ² = 0·6526) concentrations.     

Smoke pollution and the effects of root-knot nematodes on the growth of eggplants

Single and combined effects of smoke pollution and the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita race 1, were studied on eggplant in 1988 and 1989 at two sites (K1 and K2) 1 and 2 km respectively away from a coal-fired thermal power plant, and a control site at the Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). Mean concentrations of SO₂, NO₂ and suspended particulate matter (SPM) were respectively 172, 95 and 626 μg/m³ in 1988 and 144, 97 and 556 μg/m³ in 1989 at K1; and 258, 150 and 344 μg/m³ in 1988 and 226, 113 and 293 μg/m³ in 1989 at K2. Peak levels of the gases and SPM were recorded in the early (12.00–15.00) and late (15.00–18.00) afternoon respectively. Concentrations of the pollutants at a control site were very low. Marginal browning appeared on the leaves of eggplants grown at site K2 whether or not they were infected by the nematodes. The galling caused by nematodes was severe at both polluted sites but egg mass production was inhibited at K2. Egg laying was significantly reduced at both polluted sites. M. incognita significantly reduced plant growth, yield and leaf pigment production of eggplant at the control and polluted sites. Most non-infected plants also showed significant reductions in these plant varieties i.e. from the effects of pollution at K2. Foliar concentrations of sulphur were significantly increased at both polluted sites, being greater in infected plants. The interaction of smoke pollution and M. incognita infection led to greater suppressions at the polluted sites, which were mostly significant at K1. At the polluted sites, leaves had more and longer trichomes; also the number and size of stomata were decreased but their openings were wider especially in infected plants at the two polluted sites.     

Virulence for faba bean and production of ascochitine by Ascochyta fabae

The production of ascochitine by seven isolates of Ascochyta fabae accounted for the toxicity of culture filtrates of the fungus to cells isolated from leaves of Vicia faba. The LD₅₀ value for cells from cultivars that were susceptible, tolerant or resistant to the fungus was similar i.e. 3·0 × 10⁻⁵ m , 3·8 × 10⁻⁵ m and 2·9 × 10⁻⁵ M, respectively. Ascochitine affected neither the germination of seeds nor the growth of mature plants at 5·17 × 10⁻⁴ m but caused necrosis and wilting of plant cuttings at 2·5 × 10⁻⁴ m and 5·10⁻⁴ m . There was no association between virulence of 16 isolates of A. fabae for three cultivars of V.faba and the production of ascochitine in vitro. One isolate produced no ascochitine in vitro and yet was the most virulent for two of three cultivars. The toxin could not be extracted from infected plants.     

Sensitivity of Phytophthora infestans to flumorph: in vitro determination of baseline sensitivity and the risk of resistance

The sensitivity of 127 Phytophthora infestans isolates to flumorph was determined in 2003 and 2004. The isolates originated from two geographical regions and showed similar levels of sensitivity in both years. Baseline sensitivities were distributed as a unimodal curve with EC₅₀ values for growth of mycelia ranging from 0·1016 to 0·3228  µ g mL⁻¹, with a mean of 0·1813 (± 0·0405) µ g mL⁻¹. There was no cross-resistance between flumorph and metalaxyl. Laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate the risk of P. infestans developing resistance to flumorph. Mutants resistant to metalaxyl or flumorph were obtained by treating mycelium of wild-type isolates with ultraviolet radiation. Metalaxyl-resistant mutants were obtained with a high frequency and exhibited resistance factor values (EC₅₀ resistant/EC₅₀ sensitive phenotypes) of more than 100, while flumorph-resistant mutants were obtained at much lower frequencies and had very small resistance factors (1·5–3·2). There was cross-resistance between flumorph and dimethomorph, but not with azoxystrobin or cymoxanil. Most flumorph-resistant mutants showed decreases in hyphal growth in vitro and in sporulation both in vitro and on detached leaf tissues. These studies suggested that the risk of resistance developing was much lower for flumorph than metalaxyl. However, as P. infestans is a high-risk pathogen, appropriate precautions against resistance development should be taken.     

Studies on resistance to dichlofluanid and other fungicides in Botrytis cinerea

Amongst 489 mass isolates of Botrytis cinerea obtained from protected crops in Humberside during 1989, 67.3% were resistant to benomyl and 45.6% to vinclozolin. Two isolates resistant to dichlofluanid were obtained with EC₅₀ values for mycelial growth on agar of 21.45 and 19.78 μg dichlofluanid/ml, respectively, compared with values of 1.55-2.56 μg/ml for sensitive isolates. EC₅₀ values for germ tube emergence and length were much lower than for mycelial growth. In population studies carried out on tomatoes in a polythene tunnel, resistance to dichlofluanid and to vinclozolin declined over a 12-week period in the absence of fungicides. Field isolates of B. cinerea resistant to dichlofluanid were also resistant to vinclozolin. but strains resistant to dichlofluanid and sensitive to vinclozolin were obtained during population studies. Examination of a number of features of dichlofluanid-resistant strains revealed a degree of lack of fitness as compared with sensitive strains. There is no indication that resistance to dichlofluanid poses a great threat to the control of grey mould in Humberside at present.     

竹醋液对几种植物病原真菌的抑制活性

 新制竹醋液抑制6种作物8种病原真菌菌丝生长的活性大小序为:苹果霉心病菌 > 小麦赤霉病菌 > 黄瓜炭疽病菌 > 番茄灰霉病菌 > 葡萄炭疽病菌 > 番茄早疫病菌 > 草莓灰霉病菌 > 苹果腐烂病菌 > 苹果轮纹病菌 > 黄瓜灰霉病菌,有效抑制中浓度(EC₅₀)介于0.1185%-0.8035%(g/mL,干重/体积)之间。室温下保存1年的竹醋液抑制7种作物8种病菌菌丝生长的EC₅₀在0.0832%-0.3334%之间,对苹果霉心病菌的抑制活性下降,对6种作物的6种病菌的抑制活性均高于新制竹醋液。在2%水琼脂培养基上测定发现竹醋液明显抑制草莓灰霉菌分生孢子萌发,对该菌7个菌株的EC₅₀在0.0365%-0.1311%之间,平均为0.0673±0.0332%。叶盘漂浮法测定发现0.0125%、0.025%和0.05%的竹醋液对葡萄霜霉病的防效分别为23.5%、38.8%和78.4%,对葡萄霜霉病菌5个菌株EC₅₀在0.0191%-0.0464%之间,平均为0.0317 ±0.0109%。     

Influence of straw management, nitrogen fertilization and dosage rates on the dissipation of five sulfonylureas in soil

The dissipation behaviour of metsulfuron-methyl, tribenuron-methyl, thifensulfuron-methyl, triasulfuron and amidosulfuron were studied in soil following post-emergence spring applications to cereal crops. Incorporation or removal of straw and different fertilizer applications had no influence on the disappearance time (DT₅₀) of the herbicides. However, in laboratory trials dissipation of metsulfuron-methyl, triasulfuron and amidosulfuron at higher application rates was accelerated after incorporation of straw into the soil. The addition of straw decreases soil pH thereby causing faster hydrolysis of the compounds. Addition of nitrogen fertilizer increased the half-lives (t_1/2) of the herbicides. Combination of both straw and N fertilizer, however, had no effect. Neither straw nor N influenced the degradation of tribenuron-methyl and thifensulfuron-methyl.
The DT₅₀ of all herbicides investigated varied from 6 to 17 days in the field trials. Except for amidosulfuron, herbicides could not be detected 38–68 days after application. In the laboratory, t_1/2 values were higher than those in the field at 75 days (amidosulfuron), 63 days (metsulfuron-methyl), 35 days (triasulfuron) and 13 days (tribenuron-methyl). Only the t_1/2 of thifensulfuron-methyl was at 29 h faster under laboratory conditions. T_1/2 values of all herbicides were influenced by their initial concentration. The t_1/2 values of amidosulfuron and tribenuron-methyl at 1 mg a.i. kg⁻¹ soil were 2–2.5 times higher than at the recommended field application rate of 42 μg a.i. kg⁻¹ soil.     

Control of Phytophthora root rot of irrigated subterranean clover with potassium phosphonate in Victoria, Australia

Phosphonic acid was more effective in inhibiting the production of sporangia of Phytophthora clandestina in sterile pond water (ED₅₀= 1·4 p.p.m.) than it was in inhibiting the growth of mycelium of the fungus on either corn meal agar (ED₅₀= 13·8p.p.m.) or lima bean agar (ED₅₀= 236 p.p.m.). Experiments under controlled environmental conditions showed that better control of tap root rot of subterranean clover caused by P. clandestina was achieved by application of potassium phosphonate to a pasteurized soil mixture than by a spray on the foliage alone. However, in a soil from a pasture, foliar sprays were more effective than soil treatments. Application of superphosphate at a rate of 250 kg/ha or higher to the soil reduced the effectiveness of sprays. In three experiments in irrigated pastures a spray of potassium phosphonate at 300 or 313 ml/ha, applied to cotyledons of subterranean clover and to soil, reduced severity of Phytophthora root rot and increased the annual production of dry matter of the legume by 1·96 to 5·11 t/ha in comparison with untreated controls.